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Allmendinger's road back to IndyCar would have speed bump

A.J. Allmendinger could be moving on to another racing series after his release from Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

A.J. Allmendinger's release on Wednesday from Penske Racing following his NASCAR-imposed drug suspension, has led to speculation he could possibly attempt a return to open-wheel racing.

Not so fast.

Allmendinger, 30, competed in 40 Champ Car races over three seasons for RuSport and Forsythe, winning five times in 2006 and finishing third in points before embarking on a NASCAR career in 2007.

Allmendinger would have to be cleared by IndyCar before undertaking the switch, the sanctioning body told autoweek.com.

The series said in an e-mail: “If a participant is currently subject to disciplinary action by another series for a substance-abuse violation, IndyCar would consult with its third-party program administrator to determine the license and/or membership requirements based upon the particular circumstances. If and when the participant has completed all such requirements, he/she may be allowed to participate and will be subject to future substance-abuse testing.”